Compare And Contrast: Polyphemus In The Odyssey

Journal Book 9 : Polyphemus

Compare and Contrast: Polyphemus in The Odyssey is depicted as a one-eyed man eating cyclops. He is the son of Poseidon and lives in Sicily. When Odysseus came to the island, and decided to go into Polyphemus’ cave and start rummaging through things, what he did not realise is that the cave belonged to a giant. He trapped them in there, and ate two of Odysseus’ men for every meal (Homer 110). What Odysseus, being as smart as he is, did is that he tricked him and blinded him, and escaped on the unders of sheep. In the Theoi website, it states that Odysseus still tricked Polyphemus, but in a different way, “Odysseus was trying to persuade Polyphemos (Polyphemus) to let him out of the cave : ‘For I am a sorcerer,’ he said, ‘and I could give you timely help in your unsuccessful marine love” (Theoi). Odysseus in this variation, tells Polyphemus that he can fix his love, while this is not the case in The Odyssey, Odysseus did not try to persuade and trick Polyphemus with a lie, he devised a plan to blind him, and escape that way. This difference in how Odysseus escapes the cave is only slight, but that shows a major difference in the character of Odysseus and how he deals with his problems. Polyphemus changes his tone when given wine, as he says “‘Give me some more, kind sir, and at once tell your name, that I may give a

In the painting, Polyphemus is sleeping while Odysseus and his men are getting ready to stab him in the eye, with a part of a tree that was sharpened with the fire (Homer 112). Under Polyphemus is a drinking glass, which is brought by the persuasive powers of Odysseus, and how he got Polyphemus to get drunk. The image, I believe, shows how helpless Polyphemus was and how he could not have done anything, because he just was not smart enough, as he thought that because of his size, he overpowered everyone